For some reason Pan decided to issue the pb edition in two volumes:
The Sixth Ghost Book, Book One (Pan Books, 1972)
John Elliot - The Blood Goes Round
John Burke - Casualty
Avery Taylor - Death of a Ghost
George Mackay Brown - The Drowned Rose
Richard Davis - Elsie and Agnes
L.P. Hartley - Fall in at the Double
Ernest Corbyn - Girl Who Looked Like Barby
Shelley Smith - I'll Wait For You
Kit Pedler - Image in Capsule
The Sixth Ghost Book, Book Two (Pan Books, 1972)
Elizabeth Fancett - The Judas Joke
James Turner - ...no one ever comes here in winter
Rosemary Timperley - Rachel and Simon
John Hynam - Restless Lady
Joan Aiken - The Sale of Midsummer
Ronald Blythe - The Shadows of the Living
Winifred Wilkinson - The Singer
Maggie Ross - The Soldier
Paul Tabori - The Swinging Ghost
Jean Stubbs - The Walking Shadow
Part 1:
1. John Elliott - The Blood Goes Round
London-born Sam Smithers is on Trinidad inspecting an oil pump. His car overheats, causing him to search for a source of water. He comes across an old Catholic mission house, apparently deserted. As he wanders around inside, a priest appears and berates him for taking some holy water. A rather odd tale, but reasonably good.
2. John Burke - Casualty
A man brought to a hospital after a sailing accident. He learns of the revenant of a woman who died in childbirth.
3. Avery Taylor - Death of A Ghost
Nurse Lyn Howard is trying to get back to her clinic in war-torn Vietnam. She meets Green Beret Clay Rimmer and together they continue their journey.
4. George Mackay Brown - The Drowned Rose
William Reynolds comes to the northern Scottish island of Quoylay to become the schoolteacher. On his first night, he briefly meets his predecessor Sandra McKillop. Apparently the kids loved Miss McKillop, and William sometimes encounters a sweet fragrance. William's obnoxious neighbour later tells him her story.
5. Richard Davis - Elsie and Agnes
From the blurb of "The Female of the Species and Other Terror Tales: Agnes was so annoying that her sister Elsie just had to kill her. But that was not the end of it, for Agnes has returned. Or has she?
6. L. P. Hartley - Fall In At The Double
Copied from Dem Bones Post of Nov. 15, 2007 on L. P. Hartley - The Collected Short Stories (Tartarus Press, Dec. 2001, 2005) and reproduced without any permission whatsoever in hopes he won't mind
Philip Osgood buys a house in the West Country at an outrageously low price on accout of it's hard to let status. During WWII it was occupied by the army and there was some nasty business involving the martinet of a Lieutenant-Colonel, Alexander McCreeth, who drowned in the river. Local gossip has it that he was done in by his own men. When Alfred, his impossibly cheerful manservant, reports being disturbed by banging noises in the night and repeated cries of "fall in at the double" the narrator realises that the incident is to be reenacted. Fortunately, Alfred is on his game and caps his marvellous performance with a killer kiss off line.
Thanks Dem, for saving me the struggle of coming up with a not-half-as-good summary of my own...
7. Ernest Corbyn - Girl Who Looked Like Barby
A great little story about the ghost of Barby, who was killed in a car accident. She starts appearing and reappearing, acting just like normal, to the reporter/narrator who was in the car with her. Well, expect for being able to dematerialize at a whim. It seems her date with death was a year too early.
8. Shelley Smith - I'll Wait For You
The Greens decide to foster a young boy, Mike. A city boy who saw his father murder his mother, he's a biddable, solitary and off-putting kind of boy. One day, having gone off into the countryside for a wander, he saves a young girl from being hit by a car. Lizzie has escaped from a nearby institution for "loonies". He feels a kinship with her and tries to help her remain free and free himself from a life that has no meaning for him.
9. Kit Pedler - Image in Capsule
Astronaut Saul Cozan is in space getting ready to make a splashdown when his unwanted computer starts calling him by name. Can this have something to do with his affair with a late colleagues' wife? Houston, we have a problem.....
Another day, another Ghost Book - Pt. 2 arrived first, of course.
1. Elizabeth Fancett - The Judas Joke
The Great Delvano, escapologist and "memory man" is accused of murder and stealing military secrets. He believes his manager and his wife set him up and he's right. His gun was planted at the scene and it appears he's headed for the electric chair. Too bad they don't realize Delvano can escape any prison, at least in incorporeal form...
2. James Turner - ...no one ever comes here in winter
John apparently rents/borrows Anthea's summer cottage on the moors of Cornwall. He finds he can communicate with the ghost of an old shepherd, but isn't aware of the other ghost that's the real danger.
3. Rosemary Timperley - Rachel and Simon
John Parsons moves into Angela Francis' block of flats and tries to get to know her better. She says she has two children, but nobody has ever seen them. To prove him wrong, she brings them over to show him.
4. John Hynam - Restless Lady
Joe Hardin, "king of the theatre" can't seem to forget Louise Darnay, actress and love of his life, even after 20 years. Neither can she.
5. Joan Aiken - The Sale of Midsummer
Two cameramen come to the village of Midsummer (at least the author had the decency to leave the spelling alone). The village is up for sale as the Trust that owns it needs to raise money. But what of the various versions of the legend that Midsummer Village is so beautiful that it exists for only three days each year?
6. Ronald Blythe - The Shadows Of The Living
The Colonel is unable to avoid feeling a deep dislike of the new Vicar Deenman. Could it have something to do with the fact that his ancestor signed the death warrant that caused Deenman's ancestor to be burned at the stake?
7. Winifred Wilkinson - The Singer
Poet Jeremy is visiting his friend Stephen in Sydney, Australia. He tells Stephen the story of how he came to write his masterpiece in an isolated house in New York State. He drew inspiration from an unknown, unseen singer.
8. Maggie Ross - The Soldier
Four vignettes of soldiers from the English Civil War (?), WWI and II, and what I guess is the Vietnam War. To be honest, I skimmed through this; the only ghostly part I noticed was right at the end. Just not my type of story.
9. Paul Tabori - The Swinging Ghost
The amusing tale of Albert Tarragon, second flautist in the Illini Symphony Orchestra in Chicago (?). Suddenly, large and annoying apports start appearing near him. It turns out that the ghost of Sally, a young girl who lived in the apartment upstairs still has a crush on him and is making her presence known. Girlfriend Ginny does what she can to fight back.
10. Jean Stubbs - The Walking Shadow
Some time in the 1700s, actor-manager Tom Beaumont dies while eating oysters during a celebratory dinner after a successful first-night. He returns to haunt the stage at White's Theatre down through the centuries.
Must look out for it at the charity shops...